Agenda item

The report gave an overview of commissioned services and grant providers with particularly good feedback having been received. There had been a significant amount of additional benefit gain from the work under anti-poverty and work was being undertaken on how to maximise delivery from CAB and DIAL colleagues. The Reds in the Community project had started slowly, and this was due to delays with a DBS check for a member of staff, with a relaunch being looked at to deliver until April 2024.

Members commented on the gap in provision for Economic Regeneration. Previous experience was reflected upon that small businesses had not taken up the offer of support due to them tapping into existing provision. A previous focus on developing small businesses hadn’t been fruitful, with many being content to remain a small business. It was suggested that work in Economic Regeneration had been vast in the past and was taken out of the hands of ward alliances and the area council as it could not be delivered effectively at this level.

The Area Manager fed back that it had been quite some time since the priorities for North area were reviewed. Economic Regeneration was an area of work that the work of North Area Council struggled to have an impact given core Council services were already delivering this provision. Work was however ongoing despite a lack of any funding allocation, maximising resources, and working with partners. Pop-up sessions facilitated opportunities for training and development whilst residents were waiting for other provision.

Members commented that the first annual report of area councils and ward alliances had been to cabinet. An ask was for the report to be disseminated to area councils and ward alliances as it gave very good examples of work being undertaken around the borough. The Area Manager agreed to determine how far the report had been shared. 

RESOLVED that members noted the contents of the Performance Management Report.